Las Riquezas de la Gracia: Pamela

Next up for Las Riquezas de la Gracia, my new series of drawings, is Pamela from Casa Havilah! For details on what the series is all about, as well as an explanation of what Casa Havilah and La Chureca are, please click here! If you missed the post about Sara from Villa Esperanza, you can read that here!

I'm very excited about the chance to share some info on Pamela! I didn't get to know her that well during my internship last summer, but just learned a little about her today! That's what I'm loving about this series- I get to do all this "research" and learn more about these kids!

 I believe Pamela is either ten or eleven, and currently lives at Casa Havilah (a home for girls that previously lived in the dump and it's surrounding areas) with her little sister Ashley. Here is a little note from my friend Ayla, who was an intern at Casa Havilah for a while. Back in 2009, she and her team did a weekend at Campo Alegria, and before Pamela even found out Ayla would be her leader, Pamela clung to her. Her and Pamela became very close, and she was given the opportunity to hear about her life:

"Her mother had left her father, her younger sister Ashley and herself. I remember her saying she chose the drink....alcohol, over us. I believe she was 7 at the time. She was constantly on my heart and when God gave me the desire to work as an intern with Casa Havilah it was my mission to see her again. I was able to do just that the week before I had to leave. She remembered me and that she called me Mama, and at that point I already knew she was going to be moving into the rescue home with her younger sister. It was a painful blessing to know that the girl who kept my heart in Nicaragua was going to be at the place I was meant to leave, but I knew that she would be loved and provided for by so many wonderful people and her father would be blessed as well."


Wow. "She chose the drink over us"... talk about heart breaking...

Pamela and her little sister Ashley moved into Casa Havilah January of last year (I think!). What's funny, is that I had gone on a trip to Nica with FEI in January (must have been just before they moved into Havilah), and had spent a little time serving at the school, totally not aware that Pamela and her sister were only a few feet away! Later that day, I heard the girls that were helping, were so sweet and enthusiastic about helping- I had no idea who they were until a few months later.

The first thing I noticed about Pamela, is her incredible smile. Apparently she hates her smile because the other girls make fun of it. But when she smiles, her whole face seems to beam, and you can't help but smile yourself. I don't think I've seen anyone with a better smile- and I'm not just saying that. When I think of what a smile should be, I think of Pamela.

The second thing I noticed about Pamela, is that she seemed more independent than the other girls. This makes sense now, knowing a little about her situation. She never seemed concerned with being different from the other girls. She seemed pretty tough in a physical sense, but very, very sweet. I do remember one night, she asked me to pray with her, and it was the most sincere request I got from all the girls while we were living with them. Its obvious she has a big heart.

So here is my drawing of Pamela! It was really difficult for me, because I couldn't get her smile perfect- which is what it is...

Also, I apologize for the graininess- I don't have the best camera ;] And big thanks to Lily Plourde for providing pictures and allowing me to use her photo as a reference!

My prayer for Pamela right now, is for her relationship with her Pops. I pray that their experience will only draw the three of them together. I also pray that the Lord will use this to shape the kind of girl Pamela is to be, and be a good big sister, leading and guiding Ashley to the kind of of girl the Lord wants her to be.

I also pray for her mama, wherever she may be. Not only for her protection, but that she will realize how wonderful her daughters are, and seek them out and drop "the drink". That she will realize a relationship with her daughters is more important.







Te quiero, Pamela! No dejes de sonreir, chica!

*A portion of the proceeds from this drawing will go directly to providing for Pamela's needs at Casa Havilah!

Las Riquezas de la Gracia: Sara

Sara, seventeen years old, was picked at random for the first drawing of my new series, Las Riquezas de la Gracia (Spanish for "the riches of grace", for details on what this series is all about, please check out my previous post! This post will also explain what Villa Esperanza and La Chureca is)! I think it's fitting that she is the first, simply because of the way the Lord has been working in her life, and her incredible faith in what, at first, seemed impossible to her.

To this day I don't know the details of her past (don't need to know), but I do know that she struggled big time when first moving into Villa Esperanza. But I also know the Lord has done huge things in her life since He took her from her previous home, La Chureca, which is the city dump.

"My relationship with God wasn't very good before. I didn't go to church, I didn't believe in Him. I didn't think that God would help me with my problems and that I would always live in poverty. But now I'm seeing that God got me out of there, and is going to get my family out too. And now here in the Villa, they are teaching us to go to church, read more of the Bible, to pray and pray for others."

 I heard a lot about Sara before I ever met her. I heard a lot about how she was struggling when she first moved into the Villa and the different behaviors she had developed while living in the dump. To be completely honest, I was scared of her :/ and doubted whether or not her and I would get a chance to connect and begin a relationship- I wasn't sure if she would trust me. On my first trip to Villa Esperanza in March of 2010, I only interacted with her a few times, but I blame myself for that. On my second trip, in January of 2011, she sought me out, and blew me away.

On that second trip, I was given an opportunity to share something very personal with all the girls at Villa Esperanza. I shared about how the Lord used them to change my attitude toward someone in my life that I had struggled with for years, and because my change in attitude, the Lord was then able to restore this relationship. It was very exciting to be able to share with them the fact that there is hope in Christ, and that He can change hearts, whether your own, that of another, or both. I was able to share that Christ heals and restores people we don't think could ever change.

After sharing this, Sara gave me a huge smile, which I didn't expect at all, and asked to share something. She told me something extremely encouraging, and I know she had to have been attentive to what the Lord was wanting her to say. I remember standing there stunned, not sure what to say in response. The following day, she wrote me a letter, asking for prayers because of her relationship (or lack of) with someone in particular, and that she would be praying for me as well, especially about the newly restored relationship. Then, on our way to the beach, she showed me her photo album, and explained a little bit of her family dynamics. Suddenly it wasn't such a problem that I couldn't speak Spanish- we were comfy just sitting together. She let me in.

Sara was recently asked how people can be praying for her. She asks for prayer for her brother to come to know the Lord, family's health, and strengthened relationships with the other girls at Villa Esperanza. She is also very thankful for those who are praying, and for her sponsors.

So here is the drawing I did of Sara!

The Lord has not only rescued Sara from living in the garbage dump, but has also given her hope. He has taken someone who did not feel loved and safe, and provided for her and given her the opportunity to impact and encourage others (me!). He is continuing to prepare her for the plans He has for her, which are greater than she can probably fathom!

Please be praying for Sara and her family. Pray for the doubt that probably sneaks up on her- the doubt that she is loved and that there is hope. Pray that she will continue to trust the Lord and be obedient to His plans and guidance. Pray that she will feel encouraged as much as she encourages others.

If interested in sponsoring Sara or any of the girls currently living at Villa Esperanza, please click here!

 "Sonrie porque Dios esta contigo, ok!"

-"Smile because God is with you, ok!" Sara wrote on my letter :]

*A portion of the proceeds from this drawing will go directly to providing for Sara's needs at Villa Esperanza!

Las Riquezas de la Gracia

I'm back ;]

It's been so long since I've had any artwork to show! I started a painting a few months ago inspired by a girl in Los Cedros, but I just couldn't get it right! I kept trying to "just finish it", and I think my lack of enthusiasm was showing in the painting, and that's why I couldn't get it. So for now, we're putting it on the back burner, so I can focus on a few other projects I've had in mind!

I just recently started a series of paintings inspired by La Playa Gigante, a beach we visited on my internship, so keep a look out for that! But first I would like to share another series I just started, which are drawings of each kid in the three different "homes" I served at in Nica: Villa Esperanza (24 girls), Casa Havilah (10 girls) and Casa Robles (6 boys). These children previously lived in La Chureca, the city dump, and it's surrounding areas. The children of La Chureca face all forms of abuse, disease, starvation, lack of education, suicide and child prostitution. They have no hope and do not believe they are loved or that there is a point to their lives.

But Villa Esperanza, Casa Havilah and Casa Robles are homes for these children, not only to provide a clean place for them to live, safety, food, education, and life-skills, but for them to receive the hope Christ gives- the "riches of God's grace" (the title of this series is "Las Riquezas de la Gracia" which means "the riches of grace" inspired by Ephesians 1). They are "taught about a loving Savior and are encouraged to love others as He would." (Villa Esperanza site).

^"4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he^[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship^[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us.... ¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."

                                                                                                  Ephesians 1:4-14

I will be doing a drawing of each of the children currently living in these homes, but also the ones that I have met but are no longer living at the homes. For instance, when I served at Casa Havilah, there were thirteen girls living there, but Vanessa, Sugeydi, Jocelyn and Andrea are no longer there. There is a new girl, Karen, that I have not had the pleasure of meeting, but am excited to learn more about her. And Kener and his little sister Luisa are no longer at Casa Robles.

A portion of the proceeds from each sell will go to that house (Villa Esperanza has a specific sponsorship program, so it will go directly to that particular child).

I'm doing a total random selection as to the order, but Sara from Villa Esperanza is first!!! :D It will take forever, so if you're stoked about a particular child, please be patient!

Her post is coming soon :P

 

Its been so long since I've posted anything, let alone art! Let's just say I'm just now getting over a bad case of  "artist's block" :P I have been working on a particular painting since September! I just wasn't feeling it, but decided to just work through it. I'm almost done though, which will allow me to focus on a few other projects (I've got a series of paintings and a series of drawings that I've been trying to get started)!

But last week I stumbled upon something I've been totally stoked about since! I came across a bunch of amazing photos taken by Tom Seipel, a full time missionary living in Managua, Nicaragua. I met Tom last summer during my internship, and was blessed to be able to work alongside him. Not only is it obvious he loves the kids we were serving, but it's also obvious he loves the Lord big time. But I didn't know he is such a good photographer! He's even going to let me use them to help me with the series of drawings I will be starting soon!

The photos I came across are of a few of the girls currently living at Casa Havilah. This is a home for thirteen girls (though it may now be fourteen. I believe the new girl is named Luz! I never got to meet her, but have known of her for quite some time. If that's not her name, please let me know :P) that previously lived in the garbage dump and it's surrounding areas. Each of these girls struggle daily, dealing with their painful pasts and current situations with their families. They have endured all kinds of abuse- things most of us can't even imagine.

*****^^^ Tom cleared it up for me- Luz is not her name, it is Karen! And there are actually ten girls at Havilah now days :/

The week we (the interns) lived with the girls at Casa Havilah, was actually the hardest week of internship for me. One girl, the youngest, sat us down and told us the awful things that happen to her when she goes home. I was sad and frustrated to think that this is what happens to so many children. I constantly had to reflect on the Lord's promises and the hope we have in Him. But I was also so blessed that week. The girls are amazing, and I can see the Lord working in their lives.

What I really love about these photos, is that they really capture the girls' personalities (especially the ones of Ashley, the ultimate model :P). Ashley is super spunky... Jaquiline is just sweet... Marie Elena is shy... Pamela has the most amazing smile in the world (I know that's not a personality ;])... just check out the photos and you'll see what I'm talking about ;]

 

I really have no clue what the girls are doing in that previous picture. But I still like it! Now we just need to get Tom to take pictures of all the girls at Havilah, and Casa Robles (home for boys) :P He definitely has a gift!

For more of his photos or for bigger sizes, please check out his facebook!

^^Another photo taken at Los Brasiles, a school!

Thanks Tom!

La Princesa de La Chureca

Meet Mariana, La Princesa de La Chureca (the princess of the dump).

No matter where we were going, if we took this little lady along with us, she HAD to wear a fancy dress (of course it was always torn and dirty, but she knew how to represent!). When we first started to hang out with her, I didn't know her name, so I just called her "Mi Princesa", and it didn't matter how loud everyone around us was or how many other little girls were around- she knew I was calling to her. She would flip her head around, set her chin on her shoulder, give me a HUGE smile and a little giggle, then oh so cutely prance over to me. And I can't even explain how cute her "prance" was! She had a contagious smile, and you yourself couldn't keep from giggling and prancing when you were around this girl- even if you were going to a stinky bathroom... she taught you how to see the joy in such a thing... seriously... all smiles and giggles with her!

We saw Mariana every time we went into La Chureca, whether it was at the school, around the neighborhood, or at her house. Around the neighborhood, she was always bookin' it, as if she was late for something very important, but if you were in her path, she took a moment to give you a hug and a smile. She also lives right at one of the entrances to the neighborhood, so I would look for her each time we drove in. Whenever she heard our bus, she would come running so she could wave (like a princess). Her excited smile was not only welcoming, but she sort of set the tone for the day.

^^The entrance to the neighborhood Mariana lives at^^

Mariana is not the only little girl in La Chureca. There are hundreds like her. Its obvious that its very dirty- I mean come on, its the dump! Everyone knows that's no condition for a princess! There's probably thousands of diseases you could pick up from every square inch of that place. And do I even have to mention the lice!? Everyone is smelly and I always wonder how many days worth of dirt and grime they have caked on their skin (but they are so cute, you can't help but hug and kiss them!). Another little girl very important to me, Miurel, who is now safe at Villa Esperanza (home for girls that previously lived in the dump), once said she wanted to be a princess- clean and pretty. Most little girls want to be a princess just for the prettiness and the "prince charming", but rarely is it because they want to be clean. 

^^Mariana and her brother close to her house^^

But there's more to the lives of these girls. All of these girls are in danger, whether its because of the hunger, disease, abuse (all forms) or prostitution. Many girls are abandoned. Many girls don't know what its like to just be a kid, because they are left to care for their many younger siblings. Many girls see physical abuse as an every day event (on my first day in Nica, I was told of a time a little girl in one of the rescue homes, nonchalantly asked a woman how many times her husband beats her each day, as if every woman on the planet is beaten). Many girls end up pregnant at an early age. Then there's the girls that are forced by their families to bring home the money they get for offering up their bodies to men everyday. I can't imagine how scary each day can be for girls like Mariana who live right next to the landfill, so close to the creepy truck drivers. There's a lot more that I can't even imagine... that most people can't imagine. It makes me sick to think of what they experience in a single day. Horrible things happen to these girls every day, and they are used for their desperation. How could you possibly hurt these girls, each adorable in their own way? Fantastic way to treat a princess, huh?

Mariana told me to take a picture of her and her house for you, which inspired my most recent drawing:

If you look closely to the original photo (just don't look at her face, because it doesn't look exact :P), you can see an "M" scratched into the metal behind her. I just threw in a little crown ;] And obviously I put one of her fancy dresses on.

In the same way she would run (as fast as her little legs could take her) to smile and greet us, she had the same excitement every time we left for the day. She was even radiant the day we said our final goodbyes. Perhaps she knew that despite our leaving and the chance we may not ever see her again, that we truly loved and will always love her- unconditionally- the same way the Lord loves her. That no matter what would happen to her that night, week or year, there is somebody that loves her and is praying for her.

^^Saying our final goodbye^^

I've literally never met anyone like Marianna. She has an incredible joy about her, and the ability to spread that joy to everyone around her. I pray she never loses that, but rather has an increased amount of joy in Christ. And I pray that she is a bright light for Christ within La Chureca...

Please pray for the girls of La Chureca.

Cambio de Corazón

At the moment, the Spanish Government (don't ask me why they are in Nica... I have no clue :P) is attempting to "cover up" La Chureca (Managua's city dump hundreds of people call home). Today, the landfill looks nothing like it did even a year ago. What used to be a mountain range of trash is now mostly covered up. They pick different spots to dump the city's garbage, and once that spot has had enough, they cover it up and move to another spot.

Keep in mind that the people who live in La Chureca work on the landfill and make money off what they collect. So as the landfill gets smaller, the less jobs there are available. This means the families of La Chureca must find other ways of making money. I can't help but think this is a bad thing, but part of me is aware of how this has been a blessing to many people living there. One woman, mother of one of the girls living at Villa Esperanza (a home for 24 girls who previously lived in La Chureca), has been able to open a store with donations from people like you. But I believe the store is in La Chureca, and that may or may not be a good thing- it might not be around for much longer.

 

The Spanish government is also planning to build homes right smack dab next to La Chureca (the area in the picture above). They are going to attempt to move the families from La Chureca into these homes. Many people think this is fantastic news. But others, including myself, don't think it will work... at all.

A lot of people in the past have tried to do similar things. They figure the answer to all the problems in La Chureca, is just to get the people out of there. That's nice and all, but its more than just a place to live- its a lifestyle. I don't remember who, but someone helped a family out of La Chureca at one point, and they did great for a while. They had a job and everything. But soon enough, they were right back in the filthy dump. They just couldn't handle it... and they had no desire to handle it. Its taken years for the kids in the rescue homes, Villa Esperanza (FEI), Casa Havilah and Casa Robles (Open Hearts), to adjust to lives outside La Chureca- and they have lots and lots of help.

People always ask why they would return. Why don't they want a better life? I love what the Buzbees (missionary family who run Open Hearts) say about this. Of course, I don't explain it as well as them :P La Chureca is just a visual representation of what all of us look like in our sin. We are all filthy. How many times do we tell the Lord that we're sorry for a particular sin, and that we won't do it again, but find ourselves doing that very sin a week later? Just as the people of La Chureca return to the filth, we too return to our filth.

So there are a lot of uncertainties when it comes to La Chureca right now. What will happen to the families? What will happen to the school? Will the abuse continue? The drugs? The prostitution? The disease? Its just like what they say- "You can take them out of the dump, but you can't take the dump out of them".

The little girl in this pastel (looks absolutely nothing like the actual girl :P) simply represents a reminder the Lord gave me. The day we said our goodbyes to the kids in La Chureca, I actually met three little girls who live right next to where the Spaniards are planning to build homes (and a mama with a SUPER CUTE BABY!!!). I thought it was ironic that I came to say "goodbye", but ended up saying "hello". I was reminded that there are so many kids living in filth and darkness. There are kids everywhere under these conditions- not just the visual filth, but the filth of our hearts. And even though I was sad about going home to where everything is clean and houses aren't made from garbage, the need is still the same- the kids are the same.

It doesn't matter if you take this girl out of the dump. Things could go well for her and her family, but where is her heart? Or her and her family could be right back in La Chureca... but the question remains the same- where is her heart?

Manuel the Heartbreaker

Meet Manuel the Heartbreaker. This little dude is one of the preschoolers at Colegio Cristiano la Esperanza, the school in La Chureca (Managua's city dump hundreds of people call home). In class and around his friends, he'll greet you with a smile and a hug. He is just as wild as the rest of the boys, if not more. He bounces off walls and if he catches you sitting on the floor, he'll take advantage of the opportunity and jump all over you. Oh, and he's a total cutie and knows it.

But catch him alone or away from his friends and you'll meet a whole other boy.

This is one of the most recent drawings I've done since I got back from Nica a few weeks ago. It's of Manuel with La Chureca in the background. A lot of people have been commenting on the sadness in his eyes. No doubt, you can make out the connection between his sadness and La Chureca- his dirty and dangerous home. I'm glad that people can see and understand that. That's one of the reasons why I do sad pieces like this (not to make you sad, but for you to learn about these kid's and the lives they live each and every day). But there is actually a whole other story to this drawing.

Each and every time we saw Manuel outside of class or away from his friends, he wanted nothing to do with us (Now come on! I'm not just talking about me... I can handle it when a kid doesn't like me... but he didn't want to go around any of us). He avoided us as much as possible. If you tried to hug him, he would run away. If you tried to talk to him, he would clam up and bury his face in his arms.  If you tried to make him laugh, he would clench his fists. When we gave him a card, he didn't even want to touch it. One time, he agreed to play a little soccer, but spent the entire time trying to hit me and another boy with the ball... with a whole lot of uncalled for anger.

Saying our final goodbyes to the kids in La Chureca was hard enough, but saying goodbye to Manuel broke my heart. Once again, he wanted nothing to do with us. There was a man with him, possibly his dad or older brother, and even he was shaking his head at Manuel, trying to get him to hug me goodbye. Even he knew that we may not ever see each other again. So from a distance, I told him that I love him and that I will miss him very much.

So in a way, the sadness in Manuel's eyes sort of reflect my own sadness. Here is a kid not wanting to accept someone's love, which reminds me of how so many of us reject Christ's love. For many, it is total defiance- even a hatred. His love is totally ours for the taking, yet so many refuse to accept it. Seeing that in one little kid was sad, but I can't even imagine what the Lord feels. Ouch.

Maybe something in adults makes him scared. Maybe it was his way of getting attention. Or maybe we just caught him on a bad day... or a few?And although it makes me sad, I can't help but remember the times he did smile and laugh, which was such a breath of fresh air. I hope he never loses that smile completely.